Now that British Summer Time is upon us, it’s only a matter of time until Brits fire up their barbecues to enjoy the longer days. From meat and drinks to sauces and sides, here are the items hitting supermarket shelves in time for such al fresco occasions
To find out more about this year’s summer dining trends, read our barbecue and veggie barbecue category reports
Extra Special Thick Cut Sirloin Steak
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Asda
Launching in time for the longer days, this 30-day matured tender sirloin steak is topped with a mixed pepper sprinkle and comes with a sachet of tamarind and chipotle glaze (rsp: £9/450g). The launch follows a record number of steaks being sizzled on British barbecues in 2020, as producers redirected prime cuts originally destined for restaurants through the supermarkets. Asda wants to recapture this excitement in steak, with its use at barbecues having fallen by 38% in 2021 [Kantar].
Instant Barbecues
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Global Brands/Bar-Be-Quick
These promotional instant barbecue packs offer shoppers 50p-off vouchers on Hooch, which sponsored the 2021 Smoke & Fire Barbecue Festivals and shifts a third of its volumes from June to August. Nearly 60,000 packs (rsp: £2.50) will hit the shelves of Morrisons in time for the Easter weekend. The vouchers are redeemable until 4 July.
Squeezy Tomato Ketchup
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Rubies in the Rubble
Rubies in the Rubble is helping consumers to ‘save more surplus’ this barbecue season by moving its Great Taste Award-winning Tomato Ketchup into squeezy bottles. Unlike other squeezy sauce bottles on the market, Rubies’ version is made from 100% recycled and recyclable PET – including the cap and valve. The brand believes a squeezy option will help it “meet 97% of the market demand” for ketchup, as it’s easier to apply to burgers and hot dogs than the brand’s glass bottles. The condiment, which is made using surplus and wonky pears, lands in Morrisons on 25 April before coming to Waitrose in June (rsp: TBC/470g).
Steak & Butter Burger and Smoky Dogs
Launch date: March 2022 Manufacturer: Heck
Heck has gone indulgent for its debut burger product, which combines seasoned British steak with a knob of butter for a “melt in the mouth” experience (rsp: £4/320g). The Steak & Butter Burger is joined in Tesco chillers this month by Smoky Dogs (rsp: £3/400g), which are Heck’s take on the traditional frankfurter.
Hellmann’s flavoured mayonnaise
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Unilever
Unilever has spiced up its Hellmann’s range with several innovations in recent years. The latest is a trio of ‘restaurant inspired’ mayos, which come in Gravy, Coronation and Chilli Charger flavours. According to the brand, the latter works perfectly alongside barbecued chicken and “taps into the growth we have seen for many years on flavoured mayonnaise”. The condiments launch into Iceland and Morrisons this month in squeezy bottles made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic (rsp: £2.25/250ml).
TGI Fridays BBQ range
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Iceland
Iceland and The Food Warehouse have meat lovers covered with five new additions to its TGI Fridays range. As well as bags of Skin On Fries (rsp: £2/825g), the new products include barbecue-friendly options such as Cheese & Jalapeño Hot Dogs (rsp: £3.75/500g), Pulled Pork (rsp: £5/525g), Beef Short Ribs with Maple BBQ (rsp: £8.50/780g) and Burnt Ends with Honey BBQ (rsp: £7.50/550g).
Encona Barbecue Marinades
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Grace Foods
Hot sauce brand Encona is unveiling four barbecue marinades inspired by global fire-cooking traditions: Jamaican-style Jerk, Mexican Adobo, Korean Bulgogi and Moroccan Harissa (rsp: £1.75/220ml). Grace Foods is tipping 2022 as a big year for Jamaican flavours, with Jamaica celebrating 60 years of independence.
This Isn’t Pork Caramelised Onion Sausages
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: This
These plant-based Caramelised Onion Sausages (rsp: £2.95/230g) will roll into Tesco next month bearing some bold claims. Promising a “hyper-realistic eating experience”, these bangers are said to have a succulent taste and texture that mimics real pork sausages, thanks to the addition of the patented ‘Fat 2.0’ ingredient to a blend of pea protein and vegetable fibres. And even with these taste claims, they pack just a quarter of the saturated fat of their meaty peers.
Sparkling Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc
Launch date: June 2022 Manufacturer: Morandé Wine Group
The Applicant’s latest sparkling wines come in 250ml slimline cans (rsp: £3) with the barbecue occasion in mind. The brand says the rosé’s “refreshing acidity, balance and persistence makes it ideal as a barbecue aperitif” while the sauvignon pairs with barbecued fish due to its “fruity character, delicious acidity and rich texture”.
The Jolly Hog summer range
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: The Jolly Hog
Family-run meat brand The Jolly Hog is targeting summer occasions such as picnics and barbecues with a trio of new meat products, which launch this month in Sainsbury’s. These include The Jolly Hen Summer Cluckers (rsp: £3/440g), gluten-free chicken hot dogs served with a sachet of barbecue sauce. The brand will also bring back its The Jolly Cow Jolly Good Burgers (rsp: £3.50/300g), which were originally a limited-edition launch last summer. Finally, the brand is making its first move into savoury pastries with Proper Sausage Rolls (rsp: £3.50/240g), which feature all-butter puff pastry adorned with a snout-and-ears design.
Spicy Barbecue Sauce
Launch date: May 2022 Manufacturer: Real Good
Containing 70% less sugar than other barbecue sauces on the market, this Spicy BBQ Sauce from Real Good is also vegan, allergen-free and low in salt. Featuring “Central American flavours of lime and chipotle chilli”, it lands in Ocado in May (rsp: £3/485g).
Party Ice 1kg
Launch date: March 2022 Manufacturer: The Ice Co
The Ice Co has convenience shoppers in mind with its latest launch. It is adding a 1kg bag of its Party Ice, which is currently only available in 2kg packs, in order to fit in smaller baskets and home freezers. The product landed in Co-op in March and will roll out to more retailers in time for summer (rsp: £1.25/1kg).
Leon barbecue sides
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Leon
Healthier fast food chain Leon is expanding its exclusive range in Sainsbury’s with two vegan and gluten-free barbecue accompaniments. A Garlic Potato Salad, made with Leon’s vegan aioli, is joined by a slaw inspired by the restaurant’s vegan Love Burger (rsp: £2.25).
Impeckable Chicken Breast
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Unilever
This plant-based launch (rsp: £3.30/2x90g) went through 150 iterations in R&D before The Vegetarian Butcher cracked recreating those long meaty fibres you get in a regular chicken breast. Made primarily from soy protein, the launch has been formulated to crisp up when barbecued and offer the tender bite and fibrousness of real chicken.
Tiger Tiger Thai Dipping Sauces
Launch date: October 2021 Manufacturer: Tiger Tiger
In the absence of easy travel, demand for authentic world cuisine has grown, says Tiger Tiger. So it’s launched three dipping sauces – Sriracha Hot Chilli, Sriracha Mayo and Thai Sweet Chilli – made in Thailand to traditional recipes. All three come in 455ml squeezy bottles (rsp: £2.05-£2.25), with Thai Sweet Chilli also in a 730ml bottle (rsp: £2.25).
Piri Piri Spatchcock Poussin
Launch date: April 2022 Manufacturer: Gressingham Foods
Catering to a growing demand for “exciting” barbecue products with ”minimal fuss”, Gressingham’s Piri Piri Spatchcock Poussin went on sale in Tesco this month (rsp: £3.50/455g). The product, which is coated in a mild rub made from cumin, mixed chillies, red pepper and garlic, is billed as “a healthy alternative to some of the more fatty barbecue options” by the brand.
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